The core group of Pakistan, Afghanistan and United States will meet in Kabul on Tuesday to devise plan for talks with Taliban under Afghan-led reconciliation process. According to Foreign Office, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir will visit Kabul on Tuesday to lead Pakistan's delegation to attend the trilateral talks between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and US on the invitation by Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Javid Lodin.
The Core Group of the three countries has been formed to discuss the reconciliation process with the Taliban and to promote the process of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan initiated by high peace council, led by a former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani. Two meetings of the group have already taken place in Islamabad and Kabul. Pakistan has consistently expressed its commitment to facilitate the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation and peace process.
Diplomatic sources said that besides discussing the parameters for talks with Taliban, the meeting would also discuss the recent allegations by Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai levelled against Pakistan including his accusation on Sunday that Pakistan had fired 470 rockets into two of its eastern border provinces, killing at least 36 people during a three-week long bombardment.
Pakistan has, however, denied the allegations, blaming Kabul for providing safe haven to militants on its side of the border, particularly in eastern Kunar province. Sources said that Pakistan is also expected to raise, during the meeting, the issue of cross-border terrorism. Meanwhile, an e-mail received here, issued by US State Department, said that special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman will represent the United States at the third meeting of the US-Afghanistan-Pakistan Core Group to support a process of Afghan-led reconciliation.
"Ambassador Grossman departed on June 24 for Kabul, Afghanistan, for regional consultations to echo President Obama's June 22 speech on a troop drawdown and emphasise US commitment to a long-term, enduring partnership with Afghanistan", said the statement. As part of ongoing consultations with Afghanistan's neighbours and international partners, Grossman will attend a meeting of the international contact group, which includes more than 40 nations. He will also meet with Afghan President Karzai, National Security Advisor Spanta and United Nations Special Representative de Mistura.
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